Another face will be added to the Memorial Wall in the Kenny Hines Building this year at the Pierce County Fair: The fair’s first public address system technician Raymond Koller. The ceremony will be held at 4:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 8.

Koller died Nov. 29, 2023 at Prescott Health & Rehabilitation, where he was receiving care for a short time. He was 92.

Born on Oct. 3, 1931 in Ellsworth to William and Elsie (Johnson) Koller, he graduated from Ellsworth High School before attending De Forest Training School where he learned electronic repair. His widow Joyce said he was born at the Ellsworth Hospital, which was located a the corner of Piety and Main streets.

Raymond and Joyce married and the pair settled in Ellsworth, where he had established Koller TV. He rented a located in the West End, then moved to a location in the middle of English Lutheran and Brickner’s present day locations. Eventually, he built his business on Killer land west of town on land owned by his family since the Civil War. It now houses Brotoloc.

“I talked to Jack Hines because he worked out there with the 4-H Livestock Auction and the Leadership Auction,” Joyce said about determining when Ray started volunteering his services at the Pierce County Fair. “Ray would set up the speaker systems for Jack, who started there in 1972 and he was working there then.”

Joyce said Ray was good friends with Bernard Drewiske (Pierce County’s Ag Extension agent) who knew Ray excelled at electronics. He was given permission to purchase the first set of mikes and speakers through the Pierce County Fair Board.

“They had Ray buy two speakers and two amplifiers (mikes),” Joyce said. “Whenever there was an event going on, Ray would set up wherever they were doing the judging. He’d get out there by 7 a.m. and set up for the first judging which would start by 8 a.m. then move to the next barn, then on to the next. It was very busy as a matter of fact.”

She joked that people told her all they ever heard at the fair was, “Ray Koller, report to this barn,” or “Ray Koller, report to that barn.”

When Ray and Joyce’s six children were around 10-12 years old, they were made his assistants at the fairgrounds. Joyce said the kids remember fondly being their dad’s “gofer.”

“’Go back to the car and get me this wrench or this roll of wire,’ he would say,” Joyce said. “Our oldest daughter said she remembers always being told to go back to the car to get this and that wire.”

The kids also remember with fondness Sunday afternoon, when the carnival gave Ray and Drewiske ride tickets. The day was also busy with the livestock and Ellsworth Fire Department parades.

“He had to set up the mikes in the grandstand for that and for the 4-H auction,” Joyce said. “One year when we had it all set up and we were out there waiting, one Sunday evening there was tornado warnings and everyone had to go into the Seyforth Building. We had to stay and he got the mikes and the controls, but he had to leave the speakers. It poured so hard that we couldn’t walk back across the track because it was so muddy. When he went out the next morning, the speakers were gone. The wires had been clipped by a pliers or a cutter.”

The next year, the county agreed to bury wires underground and put in a permanent speaker system, so the equipment didn’t have to be hauled between locations.

“He didn’t have to keep running from building to building and having only two of them,” Joyce said. “The fair judging started on Monday with rabbit and poultry, so he was there all week.”

When Ray knew retirement was close, he took DJ Kevin Bluhm under his wing. Bluhm took over in 1986 and held the position until 2021.

“Ray got him into the fair to take over when he wanted to retire,” Joyce said.

She said Ray volunteered for about 20 years because he enjoyed the work. He also loved eating lunch at the different food stands. One year, she encouraged him to get a “full meal” of roast beef and mashed potatoes at the English Lutheran Church stand instead of all his snacks.

In addition to volunteering at the Pierce County Fair, Ray was a member of the Ellsworth Rod & Gun Club for 63 years, the Ellsworth Lions Club for 49 years and the Knights of Columbus. He served on the Polka Fest Committee as well.

“He did a lot of volunteer work. We both did, especially at church (St. Francis),” Joyce said.

According to his obituary, “Raymond served the Ellsworth community for decades, ensuring that families could enjoy their favorite shows and stay connected. His commitment to excellence garnered the trust and respect of his clients, making him a staple in the local community.”

When you hear a voice booming over the sound system, think of Ray Koller.